COVID-19: Sask. announces eight new cases, majority in far north

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Saskatchewan announced eight new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, seven of which are in the far north, bringing the province’s total cases to 349.

The far north now has 32 of Saskatchewan’s 57 active cases.

Eight more people have also recovered, bringing the number of recoveries to 288, according to a news release issued Saturday.

On Friday, Dr. Saqib Shahab, the province’s chief medical health officer, signed a public health order restricting all non-critical travel in and out of northern Saskatchewan — specifically the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District — as the number of COVID-19 cases in the area continues to rise.

The order also strongly recommended people avoid all non-essential travel between communities within northern Saskatchewan. Checkpoints have been established along all highways leading into northern Saskatchewan. The public health order gives the full legal authority to enforce travel restrictions into the north.